Horse-foot protector



(110 Model.)

J. W. THURLOW. HORSE FOOT PROTECTOR.

Np. 591,510. v Patented Oct. 12,1897.

M J M fi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. THURLOW, OF OSOEOLA, IOWA.

HORSE-FOOT PROTECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,510, dated October 12, 1897.

Application filed March 1,1897. Serial No. 625,505. (No model.)

- specification.

My object is to prevent the dangers and accidents incident to horses getting their feet over a fence-Wire and cutting and lacerating the flesh and tendons and crippling, laming, and destroying their value.

It is a common occurrence where horses, especially colts, are in adjoining pastures that are separated by wire fences, plain or barbed, they get their headstogether over the fence and paw with their front legs in play or to make a breach in the fence and get a foot fast on a Wire in such a manner that the wire will be confined between the horny sheath of the hoof and the fetlock, and in their efforts to get free the wire will cut into the flesh and tendons and practically ruin the foot and the animal.

My invention consists in the armor device adapted to be detachably fastened to a horses foot, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view'showing the invention applied to a horses foot as required for practical use. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the complete device in an open position and ready to be applied. Fig. 3 is a diagram matic view of one of the skeleton metal armorpieces used in the construction of the complete device.

The letters A and B designate two mating skeletons or frames that are preferably out from sheet-metal plates by means of suitable dies and a press. quired to produce protectors for animals that vary in age and size. Before'applying them to a flexible band adapted to be fastened around the foot they arebent and bowed outward and then riveted to the outside surface of a band C,that is preferably made of leather.

, This flexible band may be complete in one piece or composed of a number of pieces riveted together by the same rivets used for fixing the skeleton metal armor-pieces A and B thereto. 1

They vary in size as remetal pieces on the outside, as shown in Fig.

2. By thus fixing the rigid metal pieces of armor to the flexible band a hinged connection is produced between the two metal pieces and a joint that allows the complete device to be opened and closed, as required to be put on and off a horses foot.

Buckles fixed to one end of the flexible band C and straps integral with or fixed to the other end adapt the device to be readily fastened and unfastened.

In practical use when the protector is ap plied to a horses foot, as shown in Fig. 1, and the foot is thrown over a fence-wire and the horse makes effort to free his foot the metal armor will prevent the wire from coming in contact with the skin and flesh and will resist the force*of the wire and the pressure of the animal will cause fiexion in the Wire and allow the foot to slip off from the wire and thus save the foot from being cut and the animal damaged or ruined.

I claim as my invention 1. A foot-protector for horses, comprising a flexible band adapted to be fastened around a foot, and pieces of metal armor fixed on the outside surface of. the band, and fastening devices on the ends of the flexible band.

2. A foot-protector for horses consisting of mating curved skeleton metal armor-pieces fixed to a flexible band to produce a hingejoint between them and fastening devices on the ends of the flexible band for detachably connecting the ends.

3. The'armor-pieces A and B, a flexible band consisting of two mating parts corre- Witnesses:

A. S. JOHNSON, M. T. JOHNSON. 

